1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to nutcrackers and more particularly relates to nutcrackers having horizontally opposed flat surfaces which crack the nuts therebetween by increased pressure and rolling of the nuts.
2. General Background
In cracking nuts, it is often desirable and convenient to be able to crack more than one nut at a time. It is also convenient for easy pealing and shelling of the nuts if the nuts are cracked substantially completely around their circumference. Nutcrackers utilizing opposing flat surfaces of which applicant is aware include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,340, issued to Goodwin, entitled "Nut Huller And Sheller", teaches the use of an apparatus whereby the nuts are deposited into a shoot and rolled between two plate surfaces as one of the plate surfaces moves in a rotating fashion. One of the plates is angled relative to the second plate to provide a decreasing area between the plates for applying the pressure over the outer surface of the nuts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,651, issued to Adams, entitled "Nutcracker" teaches an apparatus wherein a nut is positioned in a nutcracking chamber with the lever being brought down on the nut and an adjusting screw being provided to allow for adjustment of the distance that the lever will move down into the nut as the nut is cracked. There is also shown a tray wherein upon raising the lever, the cracked nut is removed from the chamber. Although the nut is cracked between two opposing surfaces, this does not teach rolling of the nuts in addition to pressure and the chamber is for the purpose of preventing the spreading of the cracked shell of the nuts around the area.